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Protected: Raw Audio: Governor’s press conference

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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This just in… *** House Accepts Governor’s Mass Transit Veto *** Fritchey: Take the guv’s “toys” away *** House passes “trailer bill” *** No trailer bill vote in Senate *** Sen. Link demands Metra rescind rate hike *** Jones promises future trailer bill *** Senate Accepts AV ***

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** 12:36 pm *** After a very long House Democratic caucus, it appears that there are now enough votes to accept the governor’s amendatory veto of the mass transit bailout bill. Expect much gnashing of teeth during debate, however.

* 12:43 pm - OK, this I gotta see. From a press release…

The Northwestern University and Evanston communities are invited to attend the LEGISLATIVE LEADERS FORUM: January 23, 2008, 7:00 pm, in Ryan Auditorium, in Northwestern University’s Technological Institute, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston.

Participating will be:

EMIL JONES, President of the Illinois Senate;
FRANK WATSON, Senate Republican Leader;
MICHAEL J. MADIGAN, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives;
TOM CROSS, House Republican Leader.

HENRY S. BIENEN, Northwestern University President, will moderate.

The four legislative leaders of the State of Illinois will meet to discuss top issues of today and the importance of civic participation, followed by written questions from the audience.

…Adding… I’m told that the contact person for this event is Andrew Madigan, son of the Speaker. A peacemaker in the family? Good for him.

*** 12:46 pm *** The House is starting now. Listen here.

*** 2:02 *** The House has accepted the governor’s amendatory veto. Slightly narrower margin. (One vote less than before.) The bill now goes to the Senate.

*** 2:05 *** The trailer bill is now being debated. SB 1409. The bill will take effect if and only if the mass transit bailout becomes law. The proposal applies the Circuit Breaker program to the free mass transit rides.

*** 2:12 *** Rep. Fritchey just said he’s drafting a Constitutional amendment to do away with the governor’s amendatory veto power. “We’re going to take his toys away from him,” the governor’s own state Rep. said.

Fritchey promsed to file his proposal by the end of the day today.

…Adding… Just in case you’re wondering…

Amendments approved by the vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house shall be submitted to the electors at the general election next occurring at least six months after such legislative approval

I highly doubt the Senate will go along with this, to say the least.

*** 2:32 *** Just so you know what’s going on. The trailer bill being debated in the House would use Circuit Breaker eligibility to determine who gets free rides in mass transit districts, rather than give the freebies to everyone. Circuit Breaker also includes the disabled, so the freebie would be expanded as well as constricted.

Also, a Senate Democratic spokesperson said a few minutes ago that she didn’t know yet whether the trailer bill would be called in that chamber.

*** 2:42 *** The trailer bill has passed the House with 86 votes. It now goes to the Senate, where it’s fate is uncertain, as they say.

The House may have just made a bit of lemonade themselves. By expanding the eligibility for free rides to relatively low-income disabled and excluding wealthy seniors, they might’ve “found a pony in a pile of manure,” to coin a phrase. lol

…Then again, a commenter makes this point…

I can’t wait to tell my mother who makes $23k a year in retirement how lucky she is – she now is apparently “Wealthy”

*** 3:06 *** It looks like there will be no trailer bill in the Senate. No suprise about that. “We do everything the governor tells us around here,” said one Senate Democrat a few minutes ago - sarcastically, of course.

The lack of a trailer bill is causing one Senate Democrat to switch to “No.” The original bill only passed with 30 votes, but other downstaters have said they’ll vote to accept the governor’s AV.

* 3:20 pm - Sen. Sandoval just compared the governor’s amendatory veto to Fidel Castro’s dictatorship. He also just blasted the media for focusing on the senior freebie and ignoring the tax hike.

* 3:39 pm - The Republicans are now claiming that Senate Rules don’t allow for two “co-sponsors” of a motion. The objection here is that Sen. Rickey Hendon, who is involved in a spirited primary race, was belatedly given lead sponsorship of the transit bailout bill and then allowed to co-sponsor the motion with Sen. Cullerton (who did most of the Senate work on the bill) to accept the amendatory veto.

*** 3:47 pm *** Sen. Terry Link is complaining bitterly in debate about Metra’s incredibly stupid decision to announce a ten percent rate increase before the bailout was finalized. Link said Metra ought to reconsider the increase or it could cost them in the future. “What the General Assembly giveth, the General Assembly can take away,” Link said.

*** 4:06 pm *** Senate President Emil Jones said just before the Senate began voting on the AV motion, “I want to do a trailer bill,” but said he wanted to “do it right.” Jones pointed out that several senior discounts (property taxes, Chicago car stickers, etc.) aren’t based on income. Sen. Hendon promised a few minutes later that he would work with “all of you” on the trailer legislation.

*** 4:07 pm *** The Senate just voted to accept the governor’s amendatory veto with 32 votes.. It now goes back to the governor, who must certify that the language in the legislative motion matches his AV.

* 4:13 pm - The Chicago Federation of Labor just issued a press release about today’s events. There were hearty congratulations all around, but not one mention was made of Gov. Blagojevich.

* 4:32 pm - The governor will be speaking to reporters soon, so we’ll have tape in a while.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Jefferies; Collins; Hendon; Schock; Riley; Lindner; Martinez (Use all caps in password)

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

Now that the governor has agreed to raise the sales tax for the mass transit bailout, do you think the “seal is broken” and he’ll do it again on other taxes? Or, do you think this is a one-time thing? Explain fully, please. Thanks.

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Through the looking glass

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

The obsession that some have for keeping all politics hermetically sealed from government is getting way out of hand.

We all know and probably agree that state offices, phones, etc. shouldn’t be used to brazenly campaign for office. But that was taken to an illogical extreme during Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ press conference…

Near the end of his news conference, reporters asked him about his campaigning for Barack Obama, the U.S. senator from Illinois and presidential candidate who was instrumental in helping Giannoulias win the treasurer’s office in 2006.

Giannoulias began answering the questions when his general counsel, who joined him at the news conference, approached him and whispered: “We prefer that you not, during state time, talk about politics.”

“Oh,” Giannoulias remarked aloud, “we’re not allowed to talk about politics on state time.”

Reporters weren’t having it. My colleague Bernie Schoenburg, the SJ-R’s political columnist, informed the treasurer: “This is the Blue Room. People do come in here and discuss campaigns.” At least one other reporter backed him up on that.

I can’t help but wonder what might have happened if Giannoulias had just answered the question without hesitation. My guess is somebody might have pimped him in a column somewhere about electioneering on the state dime.

Gov. Blagojevich uses this same excuse whenever a reporter asks a political question at the Statehouse.

Last year, Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson took reporters outside the building to hold a media availability because reporters wanted to ask her about her congressional bid. She originally wanted to walk down to the sidewalk until somebody (I think it was me) made a wisecrack about how the sidewalk was government property, too, as was the parking lot across the street.

It used to be the accepted standard that a politician could answer a reporter’s question about campaigns no matter where they were or what time of day it was. But Patrick Fitzgerald and some overzealous types in the media have put “The Fear” into a whole lot of people and it’s really getting ridiculous.

Without politics, there is no government. Without campaigns, there are no elected officials. Everybody, including Fitzgerald, needs to take a deep breath, step back and look at where we’re going. This is not healthy.

Your thoughts?

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Will it be a boom or a thud?

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Mark Brown puts legislators on notice…

Gov. Blagojevich’s out-of-the-blue maneuver to hold up the mass transit funding legislation until he gets his free rides for senior citizens was sneaky, brazen, silly, selfish, reckless, manipulative, disingenuous and downright cynical. […]

What you may not have considered is that if the Illinois Legislature fails today to give its final go-ahead to the transit bill by approving the governor’s proposed changes, it won’t necessarily be Blagojevich’s fault. […]

After voting for the measure last week, there is no good excuse why any legislator would take a powder when it comes back before them today.

I say that with the hope of putting them all on notice. Legislators are often made to feel like anonymous fish in the sea while toiling under the Capitol dome, but if anybody from the Chicago area pulls back from this bill now, I can pretty much guarantee they will be identified and made famous for their foolishness. It’s not so difficult to study a roll call and find the rats.

He’s mostly right. Legislators just need to put away their Rod hate, hold their noses, and keep the system running.

* But silly and unnecessary stunts like trucking in a crowd of ringers to yesterday’s House Transit Committee hearing just underscores what sort of a game-player the governor is and will always be…

Angry transit advocates turned out in full throat for the two-hour hearing in a hot meeting room at the James R. Thompson Center. They carried signs that read “Vote yes for seniors and mass transit” and “No Service Cuts!”

They loudly booed any legislator who expressed disapproval of the measure

* Even so, some Downstate Senators in both parties are reconsidering their votes from last week, not wanting to alienate seniors in their districts…

Some central Illinois lawmakers who voted against a Chicago-area mass transit funding bill last week may have changed their minds now that free bus rides for seniors have been added. […]

“I probably would vote for it,” said Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, who voted against House Bill 656 last week. […]

“I was conflicted the last time we voted. The bill is a good bill for downstate,” [Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria] said. “My inclination is to support it (now). I won’t make a firm commitment until I’ve talked to other Democrats.” […]

“I think our opportunity to do capital was last week,” [Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville] said. “To me, this is a different issue. Everybody is going to have to make their own decision on it.”

* The House is where the real problem is right now. And a trailer bill could help ease its way through…

But members of the House committee also discussed plans to introduce a separate trailer bill today that would only provide free rides to low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

The trailer bill, if it passes, would allow the General Assembly to put caps on the governor’s plan to give seniors free rides without jeopardizing a transit funding bill that would avert Jan. 20 service cuts and fare hikes at the CTA and Pace by raising the sales tax in Cook and the collar counties.

* But the 2nd Floor has problems with the idea…

Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said the governor supports giving free rides to people with disabilities, but said the Circuit Breaker proposal adds unnecessary hurdles.

“It seems to make more sense to use the existing reduced fare card system that the RTA has in place,” Ottenhoff said. “It’s less complicated, it helps more people and that’s why the governor included that language in the amendatory veto.”

If they don’t come up with an alternative, there will be a huge uproar today. Should be fun to watch. The show starts at 11 o’clock.

* Here are a couple more stories…

* Rod Blagojevich: This time we can get what we need — with compromise

* Analysts disagree on effect of governor’s recent support of increase

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Boiled lobster

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Larry Suffredin’s lobbying gig was the main source of contention at last night’s debate among Cook County State’s Attorney hopefuls…

County commissioner Suffredin called himself a proven reformer who can fix an office that’s broken. And, he said, he resents the status quo under Bob Milan, Dick Devine’s top deputy, and Anita Alvarez, Devine’s number three lieutenant. But they’re firing back at Suffredin for making big bucks as a corporate lobbyist.

“How can someone stand up here and say he is a reformer, say he is progressive, when he has spent the last 30 years of his career making money off special interest groups,” said Milan.

* Ouch…

[Ald. Tom Allen (38th)] also took a shot at Suffredin, saying, “I agree with Mr. Suffredin that he fights for justice — as long as somebody pays him to do it.”

* And the attacks weren’t all about lobbying…

Devine’s top two aides, Robert Milan and Anita Alvarez, emphasized the need for a prosecutor to hold the office as they criticized Suffredin’s suggestion that he wouldn’t plea bargain gun cases that resulted in great bodily harm.

“It’s an empty promise. A real prosecutor could never run an office like that,” said Milan, 46, stressing the need for flexibility in prosecutions.

* And he wasn’t the only target. Howard Brookins also got some grief…

Brookins was criticized by Allen for problems he had in paying rent on his office and city violations for a building he owned. Brookins has said the building was effectively in someone else’s possession and his in name only.

* You can read extensive notes from the candidates’ Daily Herald editorial board interviews at this link.

I’ve lately kept articles about this race in Morning Shorts, but I’ve noticed an increase in comments about it, so have at it…

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Morning shorts

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning

* Federal Eyes on Suburban Elections

The number of naturalized citizens in suburbs ringing Chicago is growing fast. But some still face barriers when they try to vote. In a lawsuit last fall, the U.S. Department of Justice charged that Kane County had violated parts of the federal Voting Rights Act. County officials quickly agreed to remedy the situation. And the first big test of whether Kane County is living up to the agreement is February 5. That’s when the Latino vote might make the difference in several hotly contested primaries.

* Tribune endorses Sauerberg, Schock

* Daley ‘confident’ of new Olympic projections

In a city where cost overruns have vexed big projects from Millennium Park to O’Hare International Airport expansion, Mayor Richard Daley expressed confidence Wednesday that new financial projections by Chicago Olympic planners are on target.

* Oberweis negative mailer

* Lawmaker wants ‘reasonable’ toll enforcement

“I don’t have special sympathy for scofflaws,” said state Rep. Paul Froehlich, a Schaumburg Democrat, on Wednesday. “But you have to have some fairness built into the system.”

* Development Group picks a winner

“Finally, the governor did something right for the Quad-Cities. His fit left Mulcahey available for the development group’s top job.”

* Attorney General has ’serious questions’ about Corn Belt

* Illinois: War, economy issues dominate debate

* From the Democratic front … Stein outlines his plan for economy

* 14th District trio talks health care

* Do state tests make the grade?

* The state will pay for all students to take pre-ACT

* Time to reconsider process of picking candidates

* Obama drug use raised

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Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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